Destination
by MaysileeAbernathy
Summary: Robert's a vampire. Elise's a human. She hated him, but he loved her. What'll happen after graduation? Her mom dies, what'll Robert do? SUMMARY SUCKS. Please read. Thanks. : The plot is somehow similar to Twilight. But not completely.
1. AN: Overview

Destination

Rob is a guy who is quiet, kind and nice. He was the perfect candidate, if he ever chose to love, even once. Love was evitable for him, or so he thought. Elise was the girl that was the person with the same thought as Rob. She only had a single friend that she could really rely on. A loner. A shame. It was specifically awful tat she had to think when love will come standing right in front of her. Trying to find it, it flew from her. No one ver thought that she could be loved by some guy. She had the brains, but the beauty was incomparable to the mind she had, most people had these to say. But destiny was yet that different. Life wanted her, maybe both.


	2. People

Destination

Rob is a guy who is quiet, kind and nice. He was the perfect candidate, if he ever chose to love, even once. Love was evitable for him, or so he thought. Elise was the girl that was the person with the same thought as Rob. She only had a single friend that she could really rely on. A loner. A shame. It was specifically awful tat she had to think when love will come standing right in front of her. Trying to find it, it flew from her. No one ver thought that she could be loved by some guy. She had the brains, but the beauty was incomparable to the mind she had, most people had these to say. But destiny was yet that different. Life wanted her, maybe both.

6th year was challenging I don't know if I'm gonna pass it, but I don't care, either way. I was really serious, Katrina had told me once. Sometimes I could just let go and not notice anybody, simple because I was playing with something that I could never have others to play—my life. I wasn't really sure if my serious reveries have been enough to garner me three medals, I know that I'm still lacking. Oh good Lord! How much more should I suffer? Katrina as been there for me all the way, I never doubted her either. It was maybe because I was such a silent martyr, a person who wouldn't share the sufferings with others—yeah right. I snorted in such a funny way while I was doing my reverie, again. Yeah right, like I could be a martyr, I couldn't even pay attention to other people's problems.

Me and Katrina were considered outcasts, we didn't socialize like others did, but we had friends. In the back of my mind, I wondered when Rob would ever stop teasing me, together with David. Stupid Rob. David was part of his gang. That big guy who was new just last year, and yet he thinks that he's so gangly. It's good to know that Rob doesn't like me, because I feel the exact same way. I blurted out a big heavy sigh. I knew that this time people would be staring at me. _God, so autistic, no wonder this girl had no friends, except for that stouty girl. _In the back of my head, this is what people would say when they know my silence is causing my external being.

Sometimes my other friends called me 'appealing'. They must be joking. But good thing I stuck to Rob like I'm a gum in his mouth, just kept chewing until he threw it out. I really hate Rob, for all I know, because his bane existence has troubled my life. Sometimes—no, often—I get so crapped up with him that I really wanted to throw him back to his _sacrilegious_ country. I snorted again,_ yeah right._ Their country, England, has been known to respect women since 1918. I was imagining again. Good thing Katrina isn't around to see me in my reveries once more.

"_Mr. Robert Miller. Are you even respecting the lady?" Said his mom. _

"_I am, mother. I do not think you know my side of the story. It is rather complicated, you see."_

"_Would you like to tell me what Elise has been telling me? She said that you intently poured juice over her head." She gave Rob a very weird look. It was as if she was speaking to Rob with her mind. _

"_Well, mother. That part may be true. But…"_

I cut myself off at that part. I didn't want to remember anything that is related in a social perspective. I needed to study. Yes, that's what I need. So I better relax now. _Now, relax now, _I told myself many times.

I started paying attention so that I could graduate, luckily, of course. But there was somewhere in me that wished that Rob wouldn't graduate. What a ridiculous thought! I and my subconscious mind knew that this wasn't going to happen. I paid more attention to Mr. Halloway during his class, knowing that he might notice me and humiliate me, again. I never thought of it that way, an unfavorable teacher humiliating a student who listens to his lectures. Isn't it good enough that I already listen, rather than sleep like my other classmates? I was getting sleepy by thinking and using my brain all day. I haven't actually noticed that I was already drooping, so I planned to fiddle with the 8-carat bracelet, that Aunt Rose gave to me.

I was falling into shallow unconsciousness, I wanted to be slapped. But on my mind was inevitable Rob. Even if I hated him, I liked him, if ever two opposite traits were allowed to combine. His perfect face, his hair, his eyes, the skin the shines out in the sunlight, and the broken smile that he wears. I think of it as a broken smile, hoping that I would be the one who will be completing it soon enough. But I barely knew that I was fighting fate just to do so, it was merely understandable—

_Ms. Elise!_ I recognized Mr. Halloway's voice, but how could you exist in my perfect mind?

—that I liked him, even though I—

"Ms. Elise!" the voice commanded after clearing a throat, his throat, for that matter. "Would you like to take a trip to the office?" No. Of course not Mr. Halloway, why would I? I have to know on why you are interfering with my silent reverie. I wasn't even asleep, Sir. "Elise! Wake up!" I am wake! Why wouldn't you believe me? This voice was getting near me, and angry now. I was obviously lost in thought.

"Elise, girl, wake up" This was Katrina now. I heard her voice on my right side. I was struggling to find something evident, until my eyes flashed wide.

And there it was, 41 pairs of eyes staring directly at me. I have never realized that I had actually fallen asleep. That would actually explain on why I was staring contently at Rob's face. So after that embarrassing show of mine, I have decided to ask Paul, my left seatmate, to pinch or slap me when he knows that I'm falling asleep. Paul was accounting for the slapping because I knew that I got on his nerves for a few times. Oh how I wish I was able to read minds of other people.

Saved by the bell, I got out of the room and sauntered for the cafeteria, my light and savior. Food was exquisite in my eyes, I never knew exactly at why I thought of it so. I could always count on food to cheer me up. I never really despised food because it could possibly make me a little bigger that what I am now, but I liked it because I had the freedom to gormandize without getting bigger like other people do.

When I was dreaming of home, I was unusually tired. Probably of too much tension. This was so awkward that I barely even noticed the Christmas tree that was gracefully standing in the middle of the small hallway. I only noticed the peculiar smell inside the house when I went inside. _Huh, awkward_, I thought. I only realized what was happening when I was going through my head while going up the stairs. Directly, I knew what was going to happen. My mom would've asked me a several 'million' times if I was okay.

I never liked being a baby of their dynasty. It was too much to handle, I know anybody could scream because of it. Would you believe that they went to school because of a pathetic bullying moment? I was merely—no, not merely—embarassed because Rob was unusually peeking over at our window.

"Eli, you're unusually quiet." Eli, the usual name besides Bianca, Hayley and Elise.

"Am I?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Katrina was being very interrogative.

"To be honest, no, I don't see any defects within myself"

"Ok, there we go again with the communicating crap, geez Hayles."

"Yeah, crappy. Would you please settle with one name? It's making me defiant of myself."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, crappy language, no wonder you're flunking Spanish."

"Whatever Rina"

"Don't call me 'Rina'. Damn it, did my brother Edi tell you that?"

"Tell me what?"

"Oh _please._"

"Yeah, he actually did. He's too wonderful. I could fall in love with him"

"HA!" she snorted loudly, enough for other tables to hear. "I would never allow it, you know. I could easily stab you before you even fall for—"

"That's just crap Rina. You know I like somebody else."

"Ohh, little Miss Miller's talking." Oh why did I have to tell her? Shoot. I was caught off guard.

"Gaah. Whatever Rina. I like Justin, couldn't you comprehend even once?"

"Anca," Oh now the shortcut of Bianca. Perfect. "I know you like Rob. I can see it in the way that you stare at him," Crap. "when you stare at Justin, it's just so…so…—"

"What? Erotic?"

"Shut up. It's just so.. lifeless."

I gave her a loud snort, and she stared back at me with wide eyes. I knew she wasn't buying it. I just had to stall her before the Rob-issue is implanted permanently in her brain. "It's Justin, Rina dear."

She never answered, so I went back to dreaming of the house that I barely notice. The bell rang, and she became silent for a while. After a minute, she began talking about Rob. On how he keeps on staring at me, hearing rumors that I like him, reading books—poetic statures, and writing poems. I wanted to ask Katrina if ever there was a complex way on how people do these things.

I went back to class completely unfulfilled. I was still sleepy even though the food I ate was already too much for me to handle. Shouldn't food be some sort of energy-giving compound? I never bothered to ask myself.

I wanted to completely—for once—forget chatting with other people, and listen to the lessons. Hey, everyone wanted to graduate, did they think that I should be excluded? I don't think so. I had to be reasonable, I think I have already caused a lot of trouble to myself.

Mr. Vascon, our half-Spanish teacher, gave us the outline of his lesson. I was thankful that half of what he wanted to teach is what I already know. I was grateful that in my old school, Mater Scholastics, they have the act of teaching in a very advanced and technical manner. I actually thought that I was going to die in that school. All those brain-draining questions were hard to answer. It would take some brain and time just to answer a silly 1-point question.

Transferring into some unknown school was my plan. Although I brought with me the stubbornness during classes—which included sleeping in between—I was not a lazy student nor am I an out-cast geek. I am just a regular student who can be smart and as well be a lazy person. It has been a talent of mine to be a middle-rank person. I'm not bad, but I'm not also excellent.

Before I knew it, class was dismissed. I wanted to tell Mr. Vascon how much I appreciated his lesson for the day, the unknown portals into the immortal world. I managed liking the lesson. It was a very good thing that I have read the books of Anne Rice, which was all about vampires. He teaches mythology, well, he bases some of his lessons on literary works. Like Anne Rice, Josh Grisham and new-author Stephenie Meyer.

"Hey" Rob broke my reverie. Every single person has already broken my reverie because it occupies almost every second, minute, and hour of my mind.

"What do you want Rob?" I gritted in between my teeth.

"Oh nothing."

"Then why are you talking to me? Are we even friends? I don't think so Rob. Sometimes you can be so stu—"

"Yeah, I know, I know. Stupid. Elise. I don't want to fight with you, this day. I just want to tell you that even though those rumors that they're saying is true, I do not know if I could believe them or whatsoever.." He raised an eyebrow at me, just to see what my reaction will be. But nothing, my face was pale, a plain and pale skin, I wasn't bothered by it anyway.

I clutched my books tighter. "No, the hell I don't like you Rob"

"Elise, don't make an understatement of that. I do believe it is true."

"You think that you are _so_ masochistic"

"Oh, am I?" He raised another eyebrow, his eyes tempting.

"Well then, you think that you are so handsome." _Hell yeah, you are, Rob. Sorry I lied to your face._

"Your forgiven. Am I not?" I snorted after he shot me those words.

"You wish, Rob. I bet that that's what your wanting for Chris—wait, what did you say?"

"I said 'am I not?'"

"No, the other one."

"You're utterly predictable Elise. Just like most girls in this school is. You should probably know that by now anyway."

"Forget it."

"You don't know how easy you are to read. You're eyes are saying that you're just sorry that you're lying about me being not handsome."

"HA! Was that suppose to be a joke?" I was trembling inside, because I wasn't easy to read. I wasn't!

In my mind, I flashed back to the time about the lecture of Mr. Vascon. _Sometimes, in the immortal world, there will be humans—immortals that is—that will be able to read minds. There are others who have unimaginable powers. It is not that definable, but it is sometimes applicable to people whom different Gods consider special. _Was Rob special? Gah. Yeah, maybe. But was he immortal? I don't know. Was he a god? I had only one answer. Possible. _Immortals in this field tend to be given attention by Gods, therefore they become one of them. This is a myth, my students, but back in time, during the 1800's there were sightings of such monsters. They were called monsters only in the sense when they destroy human beings like us. Breathing, and the blood of life flows through our veins. _I shrugged at that thought after Rob cleared his throat, probably he was getting impatient.

"What, Mr. So-Called Handsome?"

"I knew it. I knew that I should've believed them"

"Shut up, Rob. I have to go. And believe who?" And by that last sentence, I didn't need an answer from him.

"Bye. Be safe, Elise."

"Freak." I muttered under my breath. It was too low for him to hear. When I was a few meters away, I heard him release a low chuckle. Could he hear me?

Why had I been engrossed with Mr. Vascon's lesson that I have been thinking of Rob as an immortal. Ok, so I take back what I said. Him being a God was _impossible. _I was too interested in mythology, for crying out loud.

As I went home, I have finally noticed that Christmas tree which was standing right in the middle of our small hallway. For now, only one individual could pass the hallway. One at a time, for that matter. It was so much like a taste of bad aura when I got home. I'd been tasked to cook. It was entirely unusual. We had the proper people to do it, but why me? Why, should I still be the culprit of the awful dinner that was made? That was a silly question, because truly, I _will_ be the culprit.

For this night, I have made a tray of cheese lasagna, and baked potatoes. That ought to do it with tonight's meal. I was continually twitching as I was waiting for the judgment of the hardest-to-please member of the family, my Uncle Bert.

"Nice dinner, my daughter" My mom, Danicia Jess Saltese, said as she chewed loudly. It was always a custom of her to chew loudly whenever she enjoyed her food. Of course, she could always pretend.

Danicia Jess Saltese, half American, half Italian. She was the perfect mom who can support my well-being. It was never a practical way for her to just shout at you when you cause a mistake, no, she'd never do it. The Saltese family is a happy one. Even though she is a single parent, she enjoyed life just like every single parent should be. We have lived with our extended family for almost my entire life. It composed of my uncle, my grandmother, and our new addition—Edward Mike Wentz. Half Russian, half Italian.

Just like my mom, Uncle Bert is a single parent, only that he's rich. Oh palace-y rich. Edward is spoiled rotten, for all I know. My uncle's dreams for me suddenly vanished little by little, just enough to give space to tiny little Edward. My mom cleared her throat, probably growing too impatient. And this was her trait. Impatience.

"Thanks Jess." It was common that 'Jess' be her house name. She never liked being called 'mom'.

"Hmmmm—" Uncle Bert murmured.

"Ok, what is it Bert?" Mom uttered.

"Oh nothing. It's.. it's.. delicious. Congratulations Elise." He clapped his hands in delight. I never thought that he'd be adoring what I made.

"Well, my granddaughter, truly, you have garnered a thumbs-up for today, haven't we?"

"Yes grandma. I believe that I have genetically learned this talent from Grandpa Charles?" Charles Lafferty Wentz, my grandfather who had passed away a long time ago.

"Yes, I believe so, child. Bianca Hayley Elise Saltese, have I ever mentioned how nice your name sounds?"

"Actually, you have. For a million times." I truly have heard this infinitely. She might have forgotten.

"Yes, I suppose so. Forgive me." She chuckled at her repeated mistake. Of course she was an elder, she could forget.

"This concludes our conversation, then. Bianca Hayley Elise Saltese wins the night!" Uncle Bert happily uttered.

"Thank you, that includes all of you." I satisfyingly said.

"E-waaaaaaaarrr soooooo pooooooollll!" Edward happily said, he too, ate a lot.

"Thanks little guy!"

"Chiiiiiiiissssss! Maaayyy tommmoooorrooooowww? Pfttttt." Seriously? You want me to make more?

"I'm not sure, Edward"

"Wiiiiilll, goooo naaaytt siiiissssyyy! Brrrrrrr." It was really surprising, because he ate on his own, which he couldn't do.

"Good night, everyone."

I went to sit down on the couch, I needed to think. I needed to..describe? This is not normal. So, I did what was told of me. I tried to relax for a few minutes and close my eyes. I set the alarm on my phone, just in case I fall asleep.

I opened my eyes. It was all so bright. I was sitting on the sofa, looking out of the window. Looking for something that could inevitably catch my eye. I searched. Trees, cars, the grass, garden gnomes, weren't there anything else brand new. To my frustration, I stared away from the window. My eyes came back inside the incredulously large house. Only the hallway where the Christmas tree stood made our house look small.

Blue, and open. My main description. Across me was our library. It was an open library. Five shelves which rested on different walls filled with books, peacefully standing in their different genres. On the floor of that "mini-library" (they call it 'mini' even though it is enormous), there was a mat, a very big mat. It was designed to be sat on, slept on, laid down on, and read on. It was used when we wanted to read there. There was also a round table on top of the mat. With 3 chairs on it.

Between the sofa and the library was the main door. Straight of the hose was a hallway leading to next side of the house, the living room, the dining table, and the kitchen were located here. The grand stairs were located near the kitchen, that's why most people located upstairs could smell food. Each room had bathrooms. There were 6 rooms all in all. I was already too lazy to think of how many people in this home were included in the room count.

I was finished describing now, so I had to go and do my homework. It never was that fun doing homework. I only enjoyed Mr. Vascon's subject.

I went up to my room after I have made my assignment and showered. I was satisfied, their commentary was very appreciating, maybe because it was rare of them to say so. I heard a knock on the door when I was finally settled in.

"Come in," I called.

"Dear, do you need anything?" Grandma was peeking through my door.

"No Grandma, I'm okay. Thank you. Good night." She closed the door quietly, knowing that I would be too sleepy to do it by myself.

I finally drifted to sleep without me knowing it. I was dreaming very happily this time. I was dreaming of Rob. An immortal. A god. He was talking to me in a language that I could not understand, but I was certain that he was talking to me about forever. Forever seemed long to him, it was because he is immortal. I was only human. A mere weakling. What would actually happen if I became one of them? My dream was becoming too weird. I know that in this parallel world, inhuman beings and immortals did not exist.

There was the point in my dream where it was so cold. So cold that I could not understand. And there he was, bracing me into his chain hold. He was an immortal, and yet he felt so warm, just like an eternal flame. _I love you, Elise. _He muttered it so softly, just like any eternal being would. Gentle and strong, he kissed my lips, the irritating breeze slowly disappearing.


	3. Memories

Chapter 2: Memories

The sunrise had awoke me. Well, I wouldn't think that it was the sun. It was my sleepy-yet-awake mind that told me that everything was over. My...my...high school days were over. It was all over? There had to be more. I wouldn't stand up to this kind of dream. I wished for a longer year, not a quicker one. Sigh. I know that wishes didn't normally come true. But why did that wish-granter, or whoever listened and made my wishes come true, made it true? I had to say goodbye, maybe this was just a post-mental side effect. I had a concussion last week, and I never dared going near anything sharp. As much as possible, I avoided being smacked in the head, by. . . Rob.

He was the person who caused my week-absence. I was thankful that it happened at the right time—no more nose-bleeding lessons, just petty, fun activities. My mom almost sued his family. But with my motivation, the Miller family was kept away from seeing my mother in the presence of a judge. I was playfully imagining the look on Rob's face if ever they were given a parole. I hate paroles. It was a cornucopia of spoiling a person. It was impossible that they be sentenced to imprisonment_. It was just a concussion!_ That had been the phrase that I had been explaining to my family. They were too busy to even listen to my side of the story. They think that I could've bled to death. As if it were true. Could I? I shuddered this unnecessary thought. I had to think of the goodbyes right now. Not foolish concussions caused by troublemakers. And thankfully, I was able to forget the impossible dream that I've had about Rob. I've been trying to take my mind of off that for almost 3 months.

I was all perked up for the graduation—a little bit _too_ perked up. I was dressed up 2 hours before we were leaving home. I had worn the pink, flowy, silk dress that Aunt Lily had given me. Lillian Mae Saltese, my aunt who was like a fashion-freak. No, not 'like'. She wasn't near 'like', it was more like a 'she _is'_. I chuckled lowly, too lowly so no one could ever hear.

Good thing there was food—breakfast, thatis. I was playing with the beautiful laces of my dress while eating my favorite food. A plate of hot, yummy bacon and sunny-side up eggs, and a cupful of rice. It was a staple. A favorite. I was teaching myself some family history while I was actually eating. I couldn't think of any other thought to think about.

It was then that I realized that my family. Was already divided into two. The Saltese and the Wentz. I wasn't actually sure at why it became two, even though we—Bert, Jess, Edward, Lily, Grandma, and I—were all biologically related. From what I have heard from Jess, she related to me once that Aunt Lillian married a Saltese, who was actually the cousin of my father. Lawrence Saltese was his name. My mother, Jess, married Rainier Saltese. Mom and Aunt Jess never actually knew that the two Salteses were related. She never even knew that they were related—biologically. Perhaps, I recall that they were lost sisters. Lost in the cancer plague of plague was very clear and distinct that it had almost infected both of them. So, without knowing, some uninformed gangly soldiers took them away. They were both toddlers. So they never knew each others' faces.

Hmm. I never thought of it. 1970, they were both five years old. So what? They were... 35..36..37..38? No. 39..40..41..42..43! Forty-three. They are both forty-three.

That's what Jess had told me. So far, the rest was already a family secret. She had told me once that telling me the rest of the story would gormandize my self-esteem. It would tear my future apart. I never wanted that.

And with the last bite, I finally finished my meal. By that time, Aunt Lilly was preparing for the graduation. Mother had decided not to go, because she had to meet someone of much importance. I could forgive her for that. I never needed parental envisioning in any part of the school. I don't know why, actually. I began to feel drowsy after I ate. It was very. . . awkward, to fall asleep like that. I recall that I have slept for more than twelve hours because of the pre-graduation party of Zelda Marie Struckholm, our batch valedictorian.

Zelda.. I was jealous of her. She was beautiful, smart, and entirely updated. Maybe the entire opposite of what I was.

My Aunt Lilly broke my reverie—it happens every minute of my life—with a smile that I could not gradually understand. I took time to understand her facial features—she was glad. Not all Salteses and Wentzs could graduate. There were some..challenges along the way. Some were just darn lazy not to study. Hmm, so that might explain on why I was feeling like talking during classes.

_Aww, you _are_ considered special, Elise. You always were. A girl of many mysteries. _I recalled that phrase. It was pleasingly appeasing. They had told me that when I was five in age. I was considered special, which is why I had been able to study, and finish what I have started, as what they have said. I was truly not special. I do not have any talents. Why would I be special?

"How are you feeling, Elise?" She muttered.

"Very good." The culprit of my lies could easily be detected. Me.

"I don't believe you." She chuckled happily.

"Yeah, I am probably the worst liar in the world." And I was probably the most klutzy person in the whole world, Aunt Lilly.

"Well, good thing you are not easy to read, child. It would be very awkward if I can see in you what you are thinking. Awful at the very least." _You're very easy to read, Elise. You're eyes tell me that you're lying about me not being handsome_. That sentence clicked my mind. Robert James Miller. He told me that just a month before the accident.

"I know how that feels." Also, Aunt Lilly I have this person whom I think is an immortal. And I'm in love with him. Truly and deeply.

"Well, I think that dress suits you. Now, go prepare yourself." She said. Pleased to the very core.

"Thank you, of course your taste will never fade. I will go prepare myself, then." I bowed down as if she were my master. And she slapped me playfully in the hair.

She curled my bronze hair carefully, which in turn looked like it must have been Aurora's—the Sleeping Beauty—lovely curls. It was Lilly that was artistic. My hair did not look like a million dollars because of me. It was all Lilly. Without my interference.

And soon, my whole frame was one-hundred percent Lilly. There was no spot which was named Bianca Hayley Elise Saltese. She covered me in a light, but appealing foundation. Then added a peachy-pink colored blush. It was to die for, literally. My bronze, not brown, were perfectly matching the make-up. It had been so adorable that I did not look like an adult, but more like a girl in her late 10's. but I had to believe that I was an adult. A 6th-year in Italy is always fifteen, in so many ways, of course. Lastly, she added some lipstick, a thin layer of eyeliner, and an exquisitely colored eye shadow. Truly, it matched every single beautification that my Aunt had done. I never actually knew on where she got her cosmetics, but I did not and should not care. It was not my business.

Good thing, I had not forgotten to brush my teeth before she put make-up on my face, my lips and my chin would be pale and colorless as my skin, if I were not able to brush my teeth. I didn't want to ruin my face. We left for school. No one ever talked to me, and that was good. I can think of a few things while I was being left alone.

"_Elise?"_

"_Yeah, Ro—, what are you doing here? You better have a very good explanation at why you are here. I probably think that you're going to tease me again."_

"_Uhhm. No.. Uhhh."_

"_What is it?" I became conscious that instant. It was never my habit of seeing guys who say the 'uhms' and the 'uhhs' in front of me. _

'_I was wondering…"_

"_Spit it out Rob. You know I don't like hearing you like this."_

"_Well, Elise, I was wondering—"_

"_And what were you wondering?" I cut him off as soon as I had the chance. _

"_Since this is our last year in high school, 6__th__ year, you know. I guess.." He wanted to say something. I needed to motivate him. In a very responsive manner._

"_What?"_

"_Do you want to go to the prom with me?" he sounded like he was pleading. I knew he was that good, but I had to stop myself into falling in his abyssal eyes._

"_Is it prom already?" I asked, surprised._

"_Yes," For the first time in my whole life, he answered me without making fun of anything that I say. Well, that was comforting. _

"_I haven't thought about it lately." _

"_Please, Elise?" He was pleading? Oh good Lord. How could a guy like him ever plead for someone awkward such as . . . myself._

"_I haven't got a gown."_

"_My sister will do that for you." He was really trying to find a way to go out with me?_

"_Is it alright with her?" I asked nonchalantly._

"_Yes, she actually likes you. It's really sickening, you know. I mean, the way she talks about you. it's like she knows you. "_

"_Shut up. Oh. And thank you. You got me Rob. Make the best out of it. I think I wouldn't see you next year, so you better make something useful out of this."_

"_I would not see you anymore after this year. I will not interfere anymore. I know I have already caused too much trouble. That is why I am taking you to prom. I want to make it up to you by means of this occasion—which I know you like." He was wearing his sorry-eyes. He rarely used these. When he used them, he meant them very much._

"_Yes, it's okay Rob. Thank you for taking me to prom." Oh, and Rob. I'm wretchedly in love with you, by the way. _

The day of the prom was what I had loved the most of my whole high school life. Rob was an incredible dancer. He danced the waltz as gracefully as a female dancer, but not in a homosexual manner, of course. 

No one really talked to me in the car. It was excellent. And most of all, there was a traffic jam. I had not taken these kinds of things for granted. So I grew more excited just listening to my forgotten-recall-forgotten-recall memories.

"_Stay still Elise. You will look like you're one of us. So beautiful." _

"_I never actually thought that Rob has a sister like you."_

"_Although I am biologically-related to him, I am just his half-sister. I was born to Maria Claireborne" Maria. What a nice name. Rob's half sister? At least, his sister was already nice to me. Unlike his brother. _

"_Oh, so now I understand. You look so pretty, I may say so." I wasn't lying like I used to, all the time._

"_Oh, Elise. You'll get used to it. Wait, I think I hear the door." It took me a few seconds to hear the knock on the door that Elisalle has heard. _

"_Ok, Salls, how do she look?"_ _a manly voice said. Excitedly._

"She looks like she's getting married." Elisalle answered. _And then, she escaped a very high chuckle. I hope Elisalle hasn't disturbed anyone with her unexpected chuckling._

"Ah, you are starting again with the corny jokes. Remember what Dad said about those kind of things. Marriage is serious. And I think Elise is not serious." _I wasn't sure of what emotion I have emitted. But I was sure that it was a concoction of seriousness and anger. _I am a serious person! How dare he say that!,_ I muttered to myself. _

"_Well, would you just take a look at her? She looks likes she going out with someone else, and not my brother, Robert. She's too good to deserve you."_

I cut off there. I didn't want to remember everything that I wanted to. _Maybe I'll just think of it next time_, I kept on repeating to myself. As far as possible, I didn't want to think of anyone who has a name of Robert. It just makes me remember some things which are not worth reminiscing. I know I could get hurt just thinking of it. The last time I have tried, I have cried myself to sleep that very night.

"Hey, little lady," I turned to see who that was. Aunt Lilly.

"Are we here already?" _I haven't noticed the streets passing by in such a blur._

"You have never noticed?" Noticed what?

"What are you talking about now? All I know is that I'm going to a graduation ceremony. Period." I really had no idea at what she was talking about.

"Well, you were sitting there, probably having those reveries—"

"Uh.. yeah. But how is that related to what I should've noticed?" I cut her off. Almost everybody in my life knows that I have these reveries almost all the time. Almost explainable, because I never had anyone to talk to. Well, I guess I do, but I only socialize in a very rare manner.

"Oh, well I guess I have to tell you. You know Elise, you should pay attention to the outside world." I stared at her blankly, waiting for her answer. She really couldn't stop babbling about things. Just like me, I suppose. "I left you here in the car with the air conditioner left on," Oh wow, she was rich, when did I not know that? "and I went to a diner, to eat. Those graduation sicknesses are making me nuts. I keep on getting hungry and—"

"Wait, wait. So you left me here? In the car? Alone? Why?" I was getting a little furious. I know that I couldn't be trusted in being alone. But somehow, I was happy. Maybe I _was_ crazy.

"No! No! Of course not, Elise!" she kissed the top of my forehead after she negatively agreed to what I thought. "I did leave you, but . . ."

"But?" What was she trying to make me remember?

"Well, I saw Rob on the way, and he saw you inside the car. After all this time, he still remembers me. So he greeted me a pleasant afternoon and—"

"Aunt Lilly, do you want to speed up your chatters? The ceremony is going to start in thirty minutes. I want my high school life to be over and—"

"Shh! Don't say that you want to end it, you liked high school just before you met Rob. So, he greeted me, and we talked and talked,"

"What exactly did you talk about?"

"I thought you wanted me to speed up?"

"Not when it's Rob that we're talking about." I felt my face flash a grin at her.

"Ok, so he asked me if he can watch over you while I go get something to eat." What. The. Hell?

"Ohh." She left me alone at the classroom to go get ready. I gave her that excuse because I was already tired of thinking of him. I didn't want to do anything but sit down and talk imaginarily.

I planned to stay at our classroom. Our very big classroom. Which is now covered with red, gold and blue metallic paper. The paper looked like it was cut into very long strips, the bundle of paper was taped into the middle ceiling of the room, and the other ends of the paper were stuck to the different sides and corner of the room. It looked very pretty. The way the paper was cut, the way it was stuck, and the way the originality of the crafting appealed to me. And on the blackboard, a large greeting was written using various glittering colors. On it, _Happy Graduation Day Seniors! Soar high! The values of what we have lived up to will lead us. Friendship, industriousness, respect and dreaming big. From Mrs. Didyme, _was written.

I couldn't believe that there were tears welling up in my eyes.Everything was coming back to me now. It made me sad to think of what I was leaving behind. It was disappointment that I felt, and not joy. Maybe my aunt is right. I shouldn't be saying that I wanted high school over. I would miss it terribly. I would never be able to experience them anymore. What a foolish wish. It was only now that I wanted everything to rewind and just freeze. A freeze that would never be melted by the sun and any stronger force. A freeze that would make me entirely different of what I could've been.

I now stared at the blue metallic paper that was I had been holding. I had remembered that my classmates which included Rob, decorated this classroom. It was easy to determine which work was done by who. We are all talented. The "Talentados", as Mr. Vascon had explained a few months ago. He told us that _talentados _meant 'talented', but explained in Spanish language. We were all talented. No work could easily be found out as to whom it belonged to. That was why we were the head of trouble. We were never pointed out as culprits. 

How could I let this go? Why wasn't I shedding a million tears? I wanted to burst into tears because I wouldn't want to let go of this fun that I have had. I was so numb to what had passed. I didn't feel anything similar to what my other friends felt, but I enjoyed every happiness that I encountered. I felt weak for every point of sadness. I felt maddened by every disappointing moment that I had in this year. But how could I just let it go? I should be wondering at why this all had past so quickly, in just a wink of an eye. Why am I just welling up tears, and not burst them out? And with that, I let out a deep sigh.

"Elise, come on, girl. We have to go. Are you cr—" I never realized that the room was suddenly filled with people. It suddenly made me feel comfortable.

"No, I'm not crying Anna, stop being ridiculous." Anna had those precious eyes on me. She talked to me rarely. It was really funny of her to talk to me on the last day that we would all see each other.

"Ok Bianca, so please explain to me why you're eyes are wet."

"Really? Well, I guess I never thought of it that way. Maybe I really _am _crying. I just never thought that I could be so sad on this day."

"Well, we're all sad. Don't worry. We'll be seeing each other every year. Angela actually planned Christmas parties for a duration of 10 years. Can you believe that? She will really miss all of us. Oh, and will you stop tearing? Your eyeliner will be ruined. It looks pretty, by the way. "

"I will, too. Thanks." I gave her a big hug. I know that I would not be able to do this to anyone anymore. I should take this chance, and just not let it fly away.

And she was gone, she said her goodbyes. As far I know, she's sadder that I am. I can see it in her topaz eyes that she would be missing all of us. We were all dressed up uniquely. Not wearing our robes, yet. Anna was wearing a gold dress, and small spirals were embedded on it. It looked—I gulped—expensive. I would have to apologize later that I poured a few drops of tears on her exquisite dress.

It seemed to me that Anna was wearing the best gown. No wonder she was beautiful. I was looking for Zelda. _Nah, not here yet_, I told myself. Katrina wasn't here yet, either. I continued searching for people, though I was not entirely sure at who I was looking for. I saw him. That Greek and Italian man who was wearing formal attire. One almost similar to what he wore during the prom. But he had a nice golden-bronze hair, and he was not holding a bouquet of flowers.

He looked heavenly, as described. And what I ridiculously liked was that we almost had the same hair shades. We looked like blood-related as to what people pointed out. No matter what he wore, he always looked beautiful. Like the World's Best Male Model, though he was simply sixteen in age. I was staring at him with my mouth open. He caught my stare, and flashed a big smile, his teeth white—pearl white. He was walking towards me now, and I was completely puzzled on what he would want to tell me. Surely, he never thought about doing it. But maybe for old time's sake. Foolish as I was, I caught myself off guard.

"Hey Elise." He said with an angelic tone.

"Hello." I said it plainly. It could've been too low for him to hear.

"I'm not good at this, but, hmm…," I stared at him blankly. Waiting for an answer, he too, was waiting for my response, but we stared silently into each others' eyes for a long minute. "I'm sorry for everything that I've done. I shouldn't have been so comfortable. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. At some point, I do understand." Okay, now I'm puzzled.

"You don't understand."

"What don't I understand?"

It took me a few minutes to register what he said about my being not understanding. What did I not understand? He had just said that he was sorry for everything he has done wr—. Oh, I get it. There wasn't the word 'wrong' in that sentence. He was being sorry for everything he did. Right and wrong.

"I guess you understand. I can hear—oh sorry, read it in your eyes." I was getting the feeling that he was hiding something from me.

"I think I do now. Is it that you're sorry for everything that you've done? Right and wrong?"

"Yes, that is exactly what I am talking about." He had a pained expression, like that of a child trying to hide something intense from his parents.

"Why?" I was curious for the first time in my life. It was so hard to stop thinking of him.

"It is. .as I put it. . . dangerous. For me to be around you." he suddenly frowned. He was trying to force a frown. He was keeping a smile.

"Maybe I would understand." I was trying to keep the conversation and our relationship as friends long enough for me to understand at what he was saying.

"No, you won't. I bid you farewell Elise. Goodbye." He bowed down to me as if I were of royalty. He was trying to make me laugh. But I know he wanted to distract me of what I was thinking of.

There were a few things that I were thinking that concerned him. First, he could read minds. My mind for that matter. I wasn't sure, I don't know. Second, he considered himself dangerous. Third, he was sorry for every good deed that he has done. Every time he helped me was like being helped by a saint. He would just come out of nowhere and help me. It was truly awkward, but comforting in such a way.

I wore my robe now, everyone was here. After my conversation with Rob, I didn't feel so comfortable. It was rather unpleasant. I was always out of balance—not in a literal sense—after my usual conversation with him. it had been like that since the spring dance. Or the day I first talked to him.

Time went so slow, that was good. It gave me more time to think, actually. We were now lined up according to our section. We had seven sections, each class had forty students. Each face was beautiful. Except for one, me. I was insecure unlike the rest of them, because I never wore make up. I was irritable when I was forced to wear it.

A friend of mine, Justine came to me. I noticed her braces and her braided hair. I like this girl, I told myself. I liked her in a way how she proportions her style in wearing clothes. She was unique, actually. Never wearing something particularly the same as another.

"Hi Bianca! Wow, you look. Amazing!" it was obvious that she was amazed with what I wore.

"Really? Well, thank you."

"Aww crap Elsie. Ju—"

"It's Elise, Justine." She never really got to pronounce my name correctly.

"Oh, sorry. Just because you think I'm geeky, doesn't mean that you should use that old language. It's languid, you know."

"I know. It's foolish, isn't it? I like your dress. Uh, hey! I guess I'll see you after the ceremony, we have to go to the auditorium."

We said our goodbyes. Our last goodbye. It would be the last time that I would see her. She once told me before that she's on college scholarship, which actually helped ease the load of her parents' expenses. It was really saddening.

I was now walking through the first floor of the auditorium. It was covered with red, gold and blue strings and ribbons. It was almost the same as the decorations of our room. But this was more extravagant, in such a way that the wide ribbons were pleated. It was grandeur, I told myself. Nothing could be more grandeur than this.

The stairs were surprisingly extravagant. Not bad for something so plain and unnoticeable. It was all covered with photographs, much of those were taken by Princess, our classmate. They were all precious memories. It was something to ponder about. They were photos of our intramurals, foundation week, and the spring dance. Something caught my eye after I browsed every single one of them. There was a girl with Rob who had almost blonde curls, the girl was wearing a pink silk dress and had eyes which can see through a million souls. Rob was so handsome is description. He wore a very plain tuxedo to the dance, but it fit him so elegantly. He had golden bronze hair, which was tousled. And his lips were marked in a tight smile, it wasn't a forceful one, but I'm sure that he wanted to smile.

It had taken me a minute to realize that the girl who was standing right next to him was Bianca Hayley Elise Saltese. I had forgotten about that so quickly! Maybe I was simply distracted, that's why I couldn't make up my own face. It was rather shameful that I do not know myself completely according to my own composure.

I rushed into the second floor, knowing that I could be considered late. I pondered on the pictures for too long. I finally saw the last place that I would see in my Alma Mater. Even more decorated than a debut party, the second-floor auditorium was filled with endless flowers. That would merely explain the strong but mild scent of roses, violets and freesias. Along with the bouquet of flowers, there were ribbons, and metallic paper and banners. It was so grandiloquent that I could not look. Maybe they gormandized the graduation fund just to decorate the whole area. The eight-hundred fifty square meter auditorium was holding a large banner. A banner of all the things that have passed. And like everything, gone. Then there was another which was written in Spanish, maybe Mr. Vascon was still advertising the Spanish campaign.

Finally, we were all called by section. It was entirely exhausting, because I've had enough for this graduation. There was actually too much to see. I never actually realized that Mr. Rodriguez was our emcee. My favorite teacher—oh wow.

"Please all be silent as to we shall commence with the graduation proper in 5 minutes. Thank you." he said.

I felt as if he was so nervous. I feel like I was feeling the same as him. As if we were sharing feelings. I never actually got to understand that—to feel what others are thinking or feeling.

"Good morning parents, teachers and of course our graduates! Today, we shall be witnessing the 5th annual graduation ceremony of the 6th year,"

"Yes Earl, I know. I'll be seeing you later. Dad, I told you. It's okay." I heard a girl whisper, and I did not turn to know because of my nervousness .

"may I present to you the seven sections. First off, the Blessed Mary," he looked completely nervous "next, St. Mark" he had different intervals. He could not possibly say all sections in a quick manner. It was utterly wrong. "St. Rita of Cascia . . . Blessed Anthony . . . Saint Joseph . . ." we were going to be the next section. "St. Louis. . ." my classmates and I walked forward now, in a straight line. I saw my aunt, holding a video camera. I gave her a puzzling stare, which I knew she understood. She simply smiled at me, and I looked forward. "lastly, St. John Stone".

We finally reached our respective seats. We all had a prayer and a singing of the hymn. After that, we were seated. I felt so nervous that I did not notice that I was already shaking. Some of my friends were already staring at me, not even knowing at what was wrong. Soon, the distribution of diplomas was to be done.

"Wow. Elise, too good to be true, huh?" Brian took a good look before he had spoken to me. "I like your hair, by the way."

"Thanks." I said plainly. I was not interested in conversations right now.

Probably, he did notice that I was not paying attention to him. So he finally settled down on his chair, and finally decided to be quiet, just as what I have planned for myself. Our queue was up with the diplomas. Just as what we have rehearsed, we all stood up and went near the stage.

The stage was covered with two pedestals, one on each end of the stage. And Mr. Rodriguez was on the right pedestal. The side of the stage showed the red curtains. Velvet red curtains. In the middle of the stage, I saw our head priest and our coordinator. They were the ones distributing the diplomas.

I've never given much thought that time would pass so quickly. It was simply unfair. I remembered what I said when I was in 4th year, I told my best friend, Anne, that how I wish time would pass so quickly. But I never actually thought that I would regret it.

"_Anne, I wish time would go fast. I really hate being here at school. I just do not like it." I told her, confessing._

"_I know, I feel the same way, sis." Even though we were only friends, I felt like she were my sister. We were equal. My other half who could understand me. "But I personally believe that you should not be wishing that, it may come true. You might regret it."_

"_I think I won't" I said truthfully._

Now I truly wished that I did not wish it. I would miss everything. My memory was incapable of storing too much. So I often forgot things.

I was now walking up the stage, with much worry. I smiled at Mr. Rodriguez, who gave back a smile, and there beside me, I saw Aunt Lilly. We walked together to the center stage to receive the diploma.

"Congratulations!" the priest have said. At the same time, our coordinator handed the diploma to me and shook my hand then Aunt Lilly's. It went the same for the priest.

"Thank you." then I smiled at the blinding light which came from the camera down below.

Aunt Lilly and I went down now, I gave her the diploma to care of, then I separated from her to go to my place, and her to her own. I smiled down at my English mentor, who trained me in spelling. Which later became my own reason for winning the gold prize in my competition with other schools.

My English mentor called me quietly to congratulate me, I welcomed it very much. But what was funny, was when she called me a different name. By accident, I suppose. I simply smiled at her, and went back.

When I got back, I saw Rob. He looked gorgeous than the last time I saw him. Maybe he got a retouch before the ceremony. His hair was tousled perfectly. I gave him a puzzled look, hoping that he would know what I did it for. If my theory of him reading minds, then probably he would understand why I did so. He simply looked at me again, pained. Then looked to the front, without any further glances.

How could this be? My savior killing my life second by second. Why was he making me a demented person? I knew nothing, he would be leaving soon, throwing every single memory I had of him. That was why I was ever so willing on keeping his hands on my being. He released in me the person who I did not once want to know. He released into me life. He was the sun in the middle of the night. My night. Why was I feeling that he had planned something so terrible that he had to offend me? _Dangerous_, he told me. How could he be dangerous? I must not believe so.

I tried not to think about it. Ah, the solution to forgetting. _Not thinking about it? You always do that! This is. . utterly mad! You shouldn't be forgetting this,_ I kept on telling myself. I tuned my own little voice off, and tried to listen to Sister Esme when she was purposefully reaching out to us by means of her terribly long speech. I did not know what else to listen to. Everything was boring. Even a good look at Robert made me feel terrible.

I had to spill, I want my being to suffer. Because it is the only punishment that I will be tenderly missing. If Robert understood what I meant about my stare, then he must be suspicious about what was wrong. If he could read minds, then I wouldn't consider my theories to be a lie anymore. My vampiric angel was leaving me. I couldn't tell myself that it was false, even if I was very good at lying.

The final sentence was given and it was all done. High school was now over. And I still wasn't convinced. The next thing I knew, there were graduation caps flying in the air. I copied what they did and threw my cap into the air—powerlessly. I took a quick glance towards Robert's direction, and found him gone.

He was gone. Everything was gone. I didn't know on how I could ever live, if I didn't get anymore of joy. A few more years, and I would extremely forget the use of a sarcastic sentence.

I was passed on from person to person, giving me each a hug. I never knew how many friends I had, or was I simply being played by these people whom I were suspicious of. Most people who hugged me were anonymous people, I do not know them and yet they felt the antagonistic pride to think positive. They were being kind enough to a stranger because I would not see them anymore. None of them will be able to be seen by my eye—not anymore, I guess.

I had this adrenaline rush creeping inside of me that was unknown in literal causes. I hugged and said goodbye to the people that I know in an inconspicuously fast manner. I hoped that it wasn't strange for them. I hugged Katrina the last. Even though we were the best of friends, I knew we would never sacrifice ourselves to study in the same university—we had different dreams.

"I can't believe it, it's over" Katrina said. Her brown hair tied back.

"I can't believe how much I'll be missing you." I admitted sheepishly.

"No matter how far away, we still stay bestfriends, right?"

"Yes . . Rina"

She didn't get mad at me for calling her that. That was a big relief.

She said her goodbyes and then left. I could've sworn that she had tears building up in your eyes. But I admitted to myself that I was the one who left. I was too eager to get home. I wanted to get a gist of a girl who was naturally a fresh high school graduate. I grabbed Aunt Lilly by the wrist and pulled her out of the auditorium, the hall, the school and finally, its gates.


	4. Yours For One Day

Chapter 3: The Shiny Toy of A Stranger

As I were about to get in the car, someone tapped me on the shoulder which caused me to jump at the sudden contact. I decided to turn around, but I never wanted to do it because I would see something I dislike. I was face-to-face with the person, nearly and precisely looking at his marvelous chest.

"Hello," he said in a low voice.

And then, my heart exploded. I felt as if my heart were beating a hundred times faster than a regular rate. We both stared into each other's eyes. His blue eyes expressed happiness. I couldn't speak now. Not when I was lost in his eyes.

"Hi." I managed to say with a heap of effort.

My heart plunged once again, and then it made a very embarrassing thumping that I hope that I could only hear. But the thumping always happened when I was in a-mile radius away from his presence. The peculiar aspect that I was worried about, was that the beat seemed hopeful. Hopeful inspite of this blind thing that my heart sensed but I did not. It was, as if, the answer was unknown to me but known by my well-being.

"Well, I was wondering. Would you like to go a place with me? Just.. like a farewell event. Just the two of us. Do you mind?" He asked with serendipity in his cautious eyes. I frowned with that question he asked.

"I thought, you're regretting everything that you did for me. Right and wrong. Do you have multiply personality disorder?" I was almost and nearly disgusted by what he just said.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Elise. But as you can see, no, no I do not have multiply personality disorder. As much as I wanted to give you satisfaction, but no."

"Why are you like that?" I felt my heart beat faster.

"Like what?" Ah, he was playing dumb. Well, I can play that game too.

"Act like nothing happened. You tell me that you regretted everything, you give me a glare during the graduation ceremony, and now you're telling me to go out with you?"

"No, Elise. It is not going out. I call it mingling—as your friends would say—but in a different manner, of course." _Masochistic_, I screamed in my head.

"And to the extent of telling the truth, would I come with you?"

"Yes."

"Then I guess my Aunt does mind. I will go ask her." I went near Aunt Lilly, who was now sitting in the driver's seat, seat belt on and ready to leave. Well, that was ostentatious.

I told her that I wasn't going with her. I told her the truth. But in the head, she just screamed on the top of my lungs that I were getting a date. As if that were ever possible. I could never date such… such….

By the time I told her, Rob had that look on his face which seemed that he knew what we were talking and screaming about back in the car. But I could be theorizing, because I knew that our voices were too low to hear, or so that's what _we_ thought.

"She approved, didn't she?" He was guessing? No, this wasn't a theory anymore. It was probably the truth.

"Were you eavesdropping?" I asked suspiciously.

"No. Now, let's go." He raised his one arm to hold my waist, but then brought back his arm to his side.

"What's wrong?" I asked. But indefinitely knew the answer.

"Nothing, it's just.. it doesn't feel right to me, _yet._" He was nervous. What had he even planned for us to do? French kissing under the moonlight. I shuddered at the thought when I imagined the scene in my head.

"Well, you'll get used to it. Mind if I help?" I raised my right arm and was planning to put my hand over his.. warm arms.

"Shall we?" I nodded and was puzzled at what he was gesturing to. His car. Oh crap. I was probably lost because we were two-meters away from the car. It was like he was avoiding physical contact but it was not really necessary.

He suddenly laughed at something. It was probably his sister calling him. When we got inside, it was terribly ice cold.

I couldn't quite understand at why it was ice cold in here. I wanted to ask him, but it would make me too suspicious. So I just shuddered my thoughts and let it get away with it. I was mesmerized his car. A Porsche 911 Turbo. Sweet. A black car, I guess he loved black.

"Would you like me to turn on the heater?" He eyes on me, and never on the road.

"Uhm, should you be?"

"Hmm. I guess it depends, you're shivering like a wet and cold dog." Was I shivering? I didn't notice. Maybe I was just too busy.

He turned on the heater like he said but without my answer. So I guess that was good. I noticed in a very long time that I wasn't having those reveries anymore. It made me wonder at whatever happened to it. I hope it would or would not come back.

"So, where are we going?" I asked him, still staring out of the window. Then out of my peripheral view, I saw him stare relentlessly at me.

"Well, I haven't planned out anything. But one thing's for sure. I have you for three solid days."

"What? And keep your eyes on the road!" I screamed at him. Three days? What am I supposed to do with him? Run along the beach and scream as if he was mine?

"I suppose there's nothing you can do. But anyway I'm taking you to—"

"No! Nothing about that crap. I wanna go home. Aunt Lilly will be mad and I don't even have clothes!"

"I asked permission from her weeks ago. And clothes are in the trunk. That was why she let me watch over you while she was gone before the ceremony." So that was why he was there. Miller was there. Ack. Oh joy, I muttered to myself.

"Well, what are you now? What am I now?"

"There's nothing you can do, Elise. But I do know that you're gonna enjoy. I know it."

"And you knew this from a psychopath?" Where was he getting all of his sources? My Aunt Lilly, spilling her beans? His sister? A psychopath? Where?

"If you mean my psychopathic sister, then yes. I got it from a psychopath." Elisalle was _not _a psychopath.

"Well, I don't care. I could escape before you wake up, anyway." I heard him murmur in a very low voice. _I don't sleep_, was like the right words he said but I couldn't make it out.

"Just get in the car, please?" He said calmly, so calm that it looked like we argued of nothing.

We drove away. Away from Genoa, Italy. I can't even think that straight, knowing that I was beside with him. Him that I've dreamt all my life, I said to myself. I was thinking very peculiar thoughts. Peculiar in ways that even I couldn't understand. I was imagining myself holding his hand. His hand that he has been hiding from me since the day I attempted to touch it. I always wondered on why he does that.

I seemed to be getting more and more impatient by the hour. I hoped Rob never noticed it. It would be utterly embarrassing and absurd on his side. I wanted to stay alive in this moment, but I never knew how.

"So, why me? You know, why not Eric? Why not Nate?" Did I just blurt that out loud? I didn't mean it. Me and my big mouth!

"Well, we got into a brotherly fight. So I decided that you should be the one I'm bringing and not them."

"I really don't get it. Eric and Nate are just your adopted siblings?" When I entered 5th year, that was the first time I saw them. I quickly asked Katrina to tell me about them. She once explained that Robert and Elisalle were biologically related, but Nate and Eric are their adopted siblings.

"Yes. They are….older than I am. I have never said the truth about it. But here I am, telling you all about the secrets."

"Secrets?"

"Yes, I never actually told anyone that before. It's just you. We keep to ourselves, Elise. Mind you."

"But how is that a secret. Secrets are like, very private. Like your being a vampire, which is truly silly. I know that it isn't true. They don't exist. But anyway, it is just an example." I heard him cough and mumble something unintelligible that can only be heard by very observant people. I do hope I was one of those people.

"How silly, indeed Elise. Well, the thing is Charlie and Eva, which are my father and mother, didn't like having a baby the normal way. So they adopted. But after a few years, Elisalle was born and I came in next."

"Oh. Charlie Miller and Eva Miller. Strange names, as if they were from a different time."

"Look over there," he pointed out to something very far, something almost touching the sky "do you see a tall castle?"

"Should I?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Maybe it's too early for your eyes." He then went back to driving.

"My eyes? What are you—" I suddenly looked at the speedometer "—talking about…. Holy crow! Slow down! You're going a hundred-ninety miles per hour!"

"Oh, this? Fast? This is slow, Elise."

_You drive like a maniac Robert!_, I kept repeating to myself. He was going too fast. TOO fast. Did he want to kill me?

"You call that slow? You drive like a maniac! Look, if your purpose of bringing me on this trip is to kill me with immense car speed or to have me killed by hitting the pavement, I'm so sorry for whatever I've done wrong! Just drop me off, or slow down!"

"Relax, Elise. I always drive like this. I have no intention of killing you. Why would I, would I risk myself….?"

"What?" My pulse going wild. I was thinking of developing that adrenaline that our biology teacher taught us.

"Nevermind," He slowed down to a hundred and ten "happy? Wait, look Elise. There, can you see it?"

"Oh yeah. Castle. Yeah, amazing. Is that where we're staying?"

"Yes. That is Volterra. A hundred miles from Genoa."

"Oh. We've been driving for only three hours and… OH! So that's why you drove like a maniac, just to get there fast?"

"Yes."

I looked forward. Waiting for Volterra to become big before my eyes. Just then, Robert sped to two-hundred and ten. He was staring at me very intently, not even keeping his eyes on the road. And then when I stared back to the road, I saw a truck before my eyes. We were going to die, right there.

Then, I felt nothing. What I felt next was a burning sensation near my wrist. I felt a very sharp pain all over my body. It added to the fire on my wrist. _Make the fire stop!,_ I screamed. Why couldn't anyone hear me? This fire is unimaginable. And I saw Rob, getting farther and farther away from me, but he was reaching for me. I was screaming and screaming until something cold touched me. It was soothing my pain.

Suddenly, I felt someone stab me. Like a hundred knives stabbing my now-white skin. It was horrible. It felt more severe than the fire and the pain. I kept on screaming. I realized that I was screaming with my eyes closed. I flashed my eyes open.

I flashed my eyes open.

"Elise? Are you okay?" The cold sensation was his hand. His icy cold.

"Am I dead?"

"No, silly. You fell asleep. Bad dream?"

"Yes. I felt a fire burning near my wrist and a sharp pain stab my whole body. Then a million knives stabbing my body. It was awful." It was just a dream. Thank goodness for that. When I looked down, I saw his hand placed on mine. He was holding my hand, and that was what was cold in my dream.

"I'm sorry," he pulled back his hand "it's just that you had a hot temperature. So I felt that you needed my hand."

"I dreamt of a cold sensation. Was it you?"

"I suppose so." So, his hand was the cold sensation and the hotness was my high temperature.

"I feel like…I'm dead in heaven with you."

"Hmmm, must be the dream. Anyway, we're here now. You've been asleep for an hour. You are the shiny toy of a stranger, now."

"What must that feel like? Oh, and my bad dream was caused by your maniac driving." He chuckled at the sound of my accusation. "Well, I felt your eyes on me, and your eyes not even on the road. When I looked back to the road, a truck hit us. Oh well, so much for that maniac driver."

"I'd like to meet that maniac driver someday."

"Yeah, you'd be best friends."

"Elise, we're here now."


	5. Mysterious

Chapter 4: Mysterious

He went out of the car and got our luggage at the back of the car. I had my own business to manage now that Aunt Lilly has called.

"Hello?" I managed to say without that hint of insanity.

"How are you dear? Your mom has been bugging me lately. And so have some friends."

"Well, everything's great. Except for Robert's driving. He drives like a maniac!" Suddenly, I heard a very loud booming laugh.

"I guess Robert is laughing at you now."

"Yeah, and Volterra is great. Were you in on this?"

"Undeniably…yes. I just couldn't say no when he asked me first. He's really a gentleman, Elise. Spend some time with the guy, will you? You're just friends, after all."

"Yeah, yeah. Good_bye_ Aunt Lilly." I then snapped the phone shut. I hope I didn't crack anything.

I was focusing on what was happening right now. I was also trying to find something. Perhaps the name of where we're staying? I looked around, and successfully, I found it. Volturenza Imertacci. Well that was interesting.

"Elise, are you ready? I mean, our luggage is already on their way to the rooms." Oh thank God he said room with an 's'. I wouldn't dare try to share rooms with him. "Indeed I would not, Elise."

"What? Eyes again, huh? Reading?"

"Yes, you are very easy to read. I just can't help it. You're eyes... it makes me smile whenever I stare at them. The color is just undeniably..colorful. But I'm not saying that I—"

"Sometimes you talk too much."

He stopped at once, and then proceeded to enter the hotel. There were a few people in the lobby. Five, at the very least. It was enough to make us seated for a little while until we were called.

I happened to stumble upon a book about vampires on the lobby. It looked interesting, so I took a read. _100 Vicious Little Vampire Stories,_ I thought to myself. What would be a good read…hmmm, I said again to myself. _Cradle, interesting. Page 573_.

I was so engrossed in reading the vampire tale that I ended up finishing it. It was very nice of Robert to leave me undisturbed while he was recognizing the reserved rooms. The story was exquisite. It was about a vampire named Marguerite, trying to have a baby by means of impregnating the cell into another woman. Vampires, I supposed, weren't capable of reproduction. Marguerite's DNA was transferred to another woman, and the sperm donor was unknown.

It was disturbing and quite sad in the end, because the baby was a stillborn when her mother gave birth to it. It was capable of having those vampire characteristics, because the unborn was sucking on its mother's blood. _Adieu, mon saglant agneau,_ Marguerite murmured. Which meant '_Farewell, my bloodied lamb.' _

"Having fun?" I stared unto him. He had a big smile on his face. "It seems that you are quite fond of reading vampire stories."

"Well, I was enjoying it. I don't really like it, reading about vampires and all that. I just happen to fancy the author's work."

"I suppose you can bring that with you. That is my book, after all."

"Wait, how is this your book? I just stumbled upon it just here."

"We own this resort Elise. This was Charlie's gift to Eva." Since when did men give gifts that are these fancy? Oh good Lord.

"Then I'll hold on to this if you wished." And most certainly, I brought the book with me. I hoped to ask him for it. I really liked it. Cradle. Cradle. I repeated in my head.

We reached our rooms. There were two rooms. 679 and 681. I was completely puzzled onto why they skipped a number. Before I could ask, Rob completely explained it to me. He had gotten us suites.

"I couldn't risk trapping you in a thirty square meter room, Elise. So I got you a hundred-eighty room. A suite. That's why they skipped a number."

"Oh, very funny Robert. Like those bags of yours are going to occupy the whole room."

"Oh no, this is yours Elise. And the two carts of luggage, too." He let out a calm chuckle, while I let out a sigh of exhaustion.

"So I guess whoever packed my clothes must be too picky." I hoped it wasn't Aunt Lilly. The first bag could've contained cosmetics alone.

Rob opened the room for me. _He's such a gentleman, _I repeated Aunt Lilly's phrase to me. I smiled with his gentleness. When he opened the door of the suite, I gawked in amazement. It was so big and open. And nothing comparable to other hotels.

"Oh, and by the way. You can call the hotel 'Volturi'. People around here recognize it more than "Volturenza Imertacci"."

I nodded at his fact. And then I plunged myself onto the bed first. Water bed, nice. This was worth all of the tantrums that I have been throwing at him during the trip. But I simply hoped that he could forgive me.

It took me an hour to unpack my things. Starting with my large bag full of clothes. _Aunt Lilly,_ I thought to myself. She was behind this. She packed me four shoes. A pair of pumps, slippers, rubber shoes and flats. She packed my one bag of make up and every material that she forced me to use as a 'night' ritual. She packed me a lot of clothes that would suit every event that could happen in a beach resort. Or was it Las Vegas?

She packed me my sports attire, my swimsuit, an evening gown and fabulous clothes that had brand tags on it. It was bothering me too much on how long it would cause me to pay it. I heard the phone ring when I was packing, and I answered it. The first thing that came to my mind is complaining to Aunt Lilly about her way of packing 'light' (as she called it). But she told me that I would be needing everything, so I obeyed like a stranded puppy asking for food.

There was a knock on the door and it could only be one person.

"Are you ready?" asked Rob when I opened the door. He was heavenly dressed in a suit and tie. It showed off his muscular chest. And there was something behind him that I could not recognize.

"Wait, what? And why are you wearing that?"

"I'm taking you out to dinner. I did presume that you were hungry. It would be blasphemous if you were not. But I can see that you are still wearing a pair of beach walkers. I suppose I can let you change."

"Oh. Dinner, right. I was getting a _little_ hungry. Do you mind?" He shook his head and I closed the door.

I changed to the dress that Aunt Lilly has packed for me. A black silk dress. Who does she think I was going out with? Edward (the handsome vampire that I have been talking to her about in a fiction book) Cullen? Though I considered Robert nearly as handsome as Edward Cullen the vampire.

I changed very quickly into the dress, and wore my pumps. The shoes had gold stones embroidered on it. I quickly wore the pearl accessory set that was packed. I put on some pink cheek tint—even though the make up from graduation was still visible—some lipstick, a dash of eye make up, mascara, and eyeliner. They did the trick. I grabbed a purse that was jeweled. And finally went out.

My family always told me that I should bring my pepper spray anywhere, even if I was already on a date with my husband. But this time, I thought of them as silly. I threw the can on the table, making a loud and disturbing noise. And last, I tossed my curled hair. I gave one final look of myself on the mirror, and opened the door.

"Hello," my heart jumped and skipped a beat "you look beautiful."

"Thank you, Robert. I can say so for yourself. You look handsome." He looked like a god, for crying out loud.

"Thank you. Here this is for you," he gave me a fresh bouquet of flowers. Hmmm, Freesia, roses, violets and a scent that I can't recognize. "shall we?" I nodded and he gestured his hand towards me. I gave him my hand and he hooked my arm on his. It felt cold even under those sleeves that he had on, but to me the cold felt nothing. I didn't even bother to know on why he was so cold for a human.

"They smell adorable. Freesia, roses, violets.. I can't pick up the other one."

"Well, they're not roses alone as you call it. You can smell the red roses, the white ones are the anonymous one you've been talking about."

"Oh," I admitted very sheepishly "these are my favorite, thank you."

"You're welcome." He said in a very formal tone. I guess he's been using it all of the time.

"For a slow-mover, you look fantastic. Do you have a secret?" he gave me a low chuckle and I, too, chuckled.

"No," I chuckled. "it's just a matter of beauty. But I am telling you that you cannot fool me with such nonsense about my beauty. I must say that I am horrible. Sometimes haggard-looking. Especially during the morning"

"Well, I don't care. You look beautiful to me. I do hope you like Italian food. I mean, you grew up with it, right?"

"And eventually, I love it too." I happen to blurt out.

"I am taking you to _La Bella Italia_. The food is exquisite there." He emphasized on the name of the restaurant, which was amazingly pleasing to my ears.

Everything that Robert has ever talked about was pleasing to me, there were only rare chances that I could ever dislike some things that he suggested on doing. But of course, I didn't pretend that I loved it. I truly did like it. It was just a pang of fate.

"I love that. I've never eaten food there, but I sure do trust you with the choice of restaurant."

We reached La Bella Italia in a few minutes. Taking a very small boat. It was very brightly lit in some places, and dimly lit in other sectors. When we were on the podium, the waitress seemed to have a hard time talking to us, it was maybe because of Robert. It was almost embarrassing.

I had to pretend to cough just to remind the waitress that she could stop daydreaming about Robert. Meanwhile, Robert's eyes were on me. It was somehow wrong.

"What?" I asked him when I was itching for the reason of his present state.

"Nothing." He was staring directly into my eyes. And I had to look into his. I didn't want to do anything but stare into his eyes.

The waitress was talking to him, but his eyes were still locked with mine. I would want to tell him that he was being rude, but I couldn't speak because I was too unobservant to talk. She cleared her throat, symbolizing that it was time to move to our table. I flushed pink for the first time after this.

"You blush?"

"Do I?"

"Yes."

"I haven't, for I guess more than a decade. So I guess, yeah, I do blush." I wish I could see myself blushing. I was serious when I told him that I haven't blushed since I was six. So that was a decade ago.

"Beautiful."

"Thank you."

"So, moving on. I simply admire you, Elise. As a friend of course. Nothing more, of course." Nothing more? I couldn't say so for myself.

"Me, too. I admire you too." And I am also wretchedly in love with you. In the worst and silliest ways.

He gestured me to our table. And like every other man would, he pulled my seat for me, and helped me sit down.

"Thanks." He nodded and came to sit down on his own chair.

We were quiet for a little moment. Until the waitress told us that another waiter will come in and take charge. I felt a little silly for Rob, because he was still looking at me with those golden eyes.

"You are simply rude, Robert." I managed to blurt out without an insane tone.

"What?" He chuckled.

"I mean, I'm not the only woman that you're talking to. Have some respect. When someone talks to you, especially women try to—"

"Yes, I know that Elise. Stop giggling. You're making me lose myself." He suddenly chuckled.

"Well, do we make ourselves clear?"

"Yes, ma'am." He saluted me, and I almost playfully slapped him.

The menus were given to us, and everything on the menu was sounding scrumptious. I wanted to order everything. But I had to have some manners on eating and ordering. I laid my eyes on a vegetable salad. This must be exquisite.

"Elise?" Rob asked me.

"Hmm. The Olive Ciabatta Salad."

"Hmmm, no no. Make that a Mushroom Ravioli." He was talking to the waitress. Still staring at me.

"How about you," The waitress asked, obviously flirting "isn't there anything I can get you?"

"Hmm. I'll have what she's having. Except, make it an olive ravioli and not mushroom. Capisce?"

"Yes. I'll be right back with the Cokes" She said with those googly eyes on her face.

"And _that_ is illegal too."

"What? I know that I am not perfect, but what is it this time?" You _are_ perfect Rob.

"Well, two things for sure. One, you changed my order,"

"No diets today."

"I wasn't on a diet. Salads just calm me down. And second—"

"Before we get on to the second, are you tense? Will salads help you with that? I can't even see any reason for you being tense. I mean, I am just a…..human being."

"You shouldn't be minding my business, you don't own me. So second, you shouldn't be doing that to people."

"Do what?"

"Stop acting all innocent Robert." I laughed.

"Wait, I don't get it. At all." He chuckled back.

"Dazzle people. It's simply….I don't even know how to put it." Well, you've dazzled me too. That's a fact.

"Dazzle? I can't point out to what I am doing that makes me dazzle people. I don't show off. Eva taught me that. 'No showing off' as she'd quoted. But if you call me guilty, then I might as well accept that fact."

"I think you _are_ guilty."

"Do I dazzle you?" Well, all the time.

"Most of time."

"Hmm. So do you think that this is a bad event because I give you more reasons for me to dazzle you?"

"Exactly."

"So, tense. That's why."

"Here you go, a mushroom ravioli and an olive ravioli. And two cokes." The waitress interfered with us, again. And she still had those flirting eyes towards Robert. But she was frustrated because he didn't even look at her.

"Thank you." he responded. "You eat, I talk."

"I haven't even thrown you a question." I took a mouthful of the ravioli, it tasted delicious but hot. I didn't mind.

"Hmm. So you're question will be, 'why did you bring me here?'" Exactly. What a mind reader.

I simply nodded and he started talking about the planned trip. He asked Aunt Lilly after he attempted to ask mother first. She wasn't around so he asked Dear Ole' Aunt Lilly. He even told me that he somewhat—in my own term—dazzled little Aunt Lilly. She seemed straightforward at him when he was conversing with her.

He planned on borrowing two suites from his father after he got Aunt Lilly's approval. Well, it was a plan. Elisalle was so excited, as he said. Elisalle almost came with us, but Rob stopped him.

"Aww. Salls could've been fun. You should've brought her along."

"She's just too optimistic." I suddenly felt cold. Even the shawl I brought didn't make up for anything. "Cold? Here." He handed me his pea coat. A gray pea coat.

I grabbed the jacket and put it on. The sleeves were too long, so I pulled them back. And the jacket smelled so adorable. I couldn't make up the scent. I were as if a personal brand of fragrance was sprayed here.

"Thanks."

"Your welcome."

"So, your Aunt Lilly packed your clothes for you. She said that she didn't want _you_ to pack, because you pack horribly. Horrible, as in jeans and a shirt. She packed, and here you are sitting in front of me looking like Marguerite in your story."

"I loved Marguerite. A vampire full of emotions." I smiled.

"Well, yes. I loved her for being such an optimistic mother. And not a sadistic one who would try to kill the woman who conceived the baby."

"Yes. Back to how you planned it."

He told me almost everything of it. On graduation day, he tried to stay away from me rather than stay with me. I might get a gist of what he planned, and I might be too suspicious. I laughed loudly after hearing that. He remembered guarding me by the car before getting on inside the auditorium. He took the opportunity to put my things inside his car. That was when I realized that that was the reason as to why almost all of my things were gone missing.

We stopped there. By that time, we were both done eating.

"Done?"

"Yes." He signaled the waitress for the check. She happily went by our table, and still flirting. This is getting pathetic.

"Here you go." She gave the envelope to him.

"No change." He put the money inside and gave it back to her. He gestured for us to leave by then.

"Let's go, Elise." I gave him my hand, but when I looked back at the waitress I was completely puzzled at why she had a very sad face.

Now, I was quiet. I haven't managed to say anything to him, because I was too terrified. And then suddenly, I heard Robert clear his throat.

"Yes?" I asked purposefully.

"No. Nothing really. My throat must be blocked by something."

"Oh. Sorry."

"That's okay." And he threw in a hell of a smile.


	6. Crap

CRAP. It was all that I could say. It made me feel like an idiot, you know. What simply happened last night. For me, it was mysterious. For him, it was something ordinary. I didn't have a specific idea on why it happened.

_We reached our suites, and I was already tired. Rob and I were already arguing on whether he would carry me because of my weak and stubborn feet or not. Silly, I thought to myself._

"_Elise?" His voice was so alluring. I wanted to melt on where I was. _

"_Hmm?'_

"_See you tomorrow." And with that, he kissed my forehead and bid farewell. _

I cut off there. I didn't want to remember my reactions when I entered my suite. My reaction seemed…strange. I was screaming and jumping up and down the bed. Jumping. The adrenaline coursing through me, even if I didn't have any shock going on. It was surreal. I couldn't describe. It was very different. What could he be feeling?

I was staring at the wall. Thinking of some things that I could do today. I wasn't sure on what I could not, actually. I was fully dressed today. I woke up early this morning and checked a few emails. They were from Aunt Lilly. I was reading the very last one right now. I was simply curious of what it read. The subject read _Heaven. _I opened the email and read with a curious thought.

Elise,

How are you today? I know. I know. I shouldn't have bothered you. But I do have a specific reason on why the subject is peculiar. I don't know how to say this. Hmm. Ever since last night. . your mother. . died. I'm so sorry, honey. I know you didn't expect this.

But you do know, I mean, everybody knows that she's been sick for almost 3 years. And I guess she knew that it was time to let go.

I didn't finish reading. I didn't want to know how to respond anymore. The next thing I knew, there were tears falling down my cheeks. And I wasn't able to comprehend anything anymore.

There was a new email. It was from Aunt Lilly again. And this time, the subject was _Home_.

Elise,

I know. I really feel bad too. And sad, at the very most. And I think that I shouldn't bring it up anymore until you do get home. And speaking of home, I really feel that you shouldn't go home for a few weeks. I want you to be happy first. I don't want your mother's death to come and get to you.

I have talked to Robert about it. He agreed that he would take care of you for a few weeks. The minimum that you should stay there is at least 3 weeks. I guess I'll be seeing you on May. I love you, dear.

Lilly

I recalled what it was today. It was March. I was to stay here for 5 weeks. What would I become of it when I return? I would feel that it was like being happy for a short moment and then sad for the rest of my entire life? Tears rolled down my cheeks. I'm not sure of what emotion is running through me.

I tried to respond to her.

Aunt Lilly

It was really sudden. But I'll try to follow you now. Are you sure I could stay here? I mean, I could get back there. I want to feel my mother for the last time.

Elise

I closed my laptop shut. I couldn't stop my tears now. I went the bathroom which was ten meters from me. I couldn't even move three meters. It took me a long time to reach the bathroom. I felt utterly pathetic. I tried to compose myself, facing the mirror and trying my best not to see myself with dampness on my cheeks. I was wrong. I was completely wrong.

I saw myself differently. Like I was my mom. My blonde-like hair now looking brown in the sunlight passing through the bathroom window. I tried to get back to myself. Mom, I thought to myself. Why did you leave me? I wasn't ready.

_Elise, dear, yes you are. _A voice told me, and I instantly knew that it was mom's.

I am not, mom. I do understand that I can stand up to myself. But why now? Why not when I die and then you follow me?

_Death, we cannot see. We can't stop it. I know you'll be able to find someone who can be able to make you happy. _

I know, mom. But why is Aunt Lilly making me stay here? Why can't I see you?

_They're doing it for a reason. Don't worry. _

They're doing it because they don't want me to see you?

_No, dear. Don't ever think that. _

Then, why?

I never heard her response. I was completely confused. Was she just my imagination, or was I really talking to her soul? In myself, I knew that she was talking to me. Leaving me a message. _Someone who can make you happy_, I repeated.

I continued to cry in the bathroom, until I heard a knock on the door. I composed myself and wiped away my tears. I approached the door. And opened it, without even looking at the hole to see who it was. I didn't need to do it anymore, not that I knew who it would be.

There he was, standing. His eyes full of agony. As if he were the one who lost a parent and not me.

"I'm sorry." He hugged me after that. Was he the one whom mom was talking about that could make me happy? I hoped it were he. But I know it could never be.

"Why are you sorry?" I responded, my breath on his body. He smelled wonderful. He ignored my question and answered something differently.

"I love you, Elise." He lifted my face with his hand, and crushed his lips down to mine. He was so cold, and yet felt so warm.

He was here, bracing me into his chain hold. He was cold and yet he was so warm. It felt so different. Like it was ice, but it felt like it was fire.

"I love you, Robert." And I kissed him back. He breathed on me, and he tasted so wonderful. Everything about him was wonderful. It simply made me cry when I was with him.

I really wasn't joking when I said it made me cry when I was with him. We were still kissing when I felt a tear fall down my cheeks. He broke our kiss and gently wiped away the tears with his lips. I didn't feel his coldness on my cheeks because to me, he would always feel warm. He was my warmth.

I felt different now. I didn't feel any sadness. This was what mom wanted for me. She didn't want me to feel any of her death. She always made me happy whatever the situation.

"Since you're not obliged to go home yet, where do you want to go?" He asked me with sincerity. A smile playing on his lips, perhaps.

"I would go anywhere as long as I'm with you."

"Would you go with me if I took you home?"

"Of course…not. I want to obey rules. Not break them."

"Elise, I meant leave with you. Take you home. I would be considered all-around." He made me chuckle. Was he kidding?

"I'm not. I would be there in your home to live with you. Since you are living alone _now._"

"Oh."

"It's all that you can give me, Elise. Your love. But I do respect what your relatives want. I won't touch you. I would follow you and what you would want. As long as I'm in love with yo—"

"Shh." I cut him off. He would make me happy. I didn't mind having him in my life. I mean, I _do _love him with my whole life now. "I'm not going to send you away. Never." I kissed him again.

He kissed me back. Pushing me back inside the room. We both fell on the bed. The bed was wide and soft, so there was no problem with the impact. We kissed each other passionately. Never thinking of anything else, except our love for each other. It was then I realized that we have loved each other longer that we've both expected.

He parted his lips to let out his tongue. I tasted him on my bottom lip and he was wonderful. I never wanted anything more than him. He was on top of me now, slowly removing my buttoned shirt.

We parted for a while so that I could remove my shirt and his as well. It was both of our rule now that we couldn't let ourselves get into each other. No touching, we both agreed. Only physical touches but no sex. Not until we're committed to each other. Separated only by death.

I touched his chest and he was so hard. But it didn't matter to me. I felt his contoured chest while we were kissing. We didn't notice our breath anymore. We could die anytime if we didn't let go for a breath. He seemed to know that I was running out of oxygen, so he parted for a while. It took me a few seconds to breath again. He began to touch my chest, but never unhooking my lingerie. I still had my pants on, and I had no plan to remove it.

"I love you with my whole life, Robert."

"I will love you for eternity, Elise."

We continued to kiss and touching each other's body. We didn't remove any of our pants, and that was good. But I did hope that I was committed to him so that he could be inside me.

We stopped. I looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it had been an hour since I cried with my face buried in his chest. He took my worries away. We both chuckled when we stared into each other's eyes.

"Are you hungry?" he asked me. I think it was obvious. I haven't eaten.

"Yes." I instantly chuckled. He was still on top of me, holding down his arms on the bed so that he can support his body.

"What's so funny?" he asked staring at me again. A smile playing on his lips.

"Nothing. I just thought of you, taking my worries away."

"Is that something to laugh about?"

"Well, no. I was pretty amazed. I always do the wrong reactions. Sorry." He just smiled at me and jumped out of the bed.

I stood up too. Not minding my very stubborn stomach. It was, I think, loud enough for dear Robert to hear. He walked up to our shirts and picked them up. I was shutting up my stomach right now.

"Here, let me help you." He helped me put on my shirt. I stole his shirt from his hands, planning to do something funny.

"Got it." I chuckled. "so here, let me help you." I smiled at him and stared into his eyes.

"You are _very _naughty, Elise." He lifted my chin and kissed me passionately one more time.

Since there was a kitchen in this suite, I decided to cook for the both of us. It was the least that I can do. But with incredible speed—I don't know how he did it—he scooped me up into his arms and took us to the kitchen.

"How do you do that?" I kissed him on the hollow of his neck.

"I run fast. And I lift weights. Exercise, you know."

"Oh," I giggled "I thought you were immortal. Sorry."

"It's okay, love." He kissed my cheek.

There was something disturbing in his eyes. They looked like they were hiding something from me. But I didn't have the time to think, because Robert put me down on the chair. And with unexplainable speed, he went over to the stove to start cooking something. I went up behind him, hugged from behind.

"Hey, hey, hey. I thought I was supposed to cook?" I muttered as I placed my face on his back.

"No one ever told me that only girls cook. And besides, I want you to try something. I already ate so this is for you, love.'

He grabbed my hands and placed it in his, and before I knew it, our hands were already entwined. I let out a chuckle.

"Are you okay? Why have you been laughing lately?"

"Well, I was just wondering at how you will be able to cook with our hands curled up together."

"Do you want me to remove it?"

"No. Never."

"Then I suppose you'll die of hunger, and I don't want that to happen, love." He chuckled and playfully removed his hands in mine.

I sat down on the chair of the small dining table. I waited until he was done cooking. While he was, I was wondering on what he was doing. I smelled onions being fried. Hmmm. It smelled wonderful. Before I knew it, it was already cooked. There was a scent of herbs and meat in the air. I grabbed a plate and a fork from the cupboard.

"Are you sure you don't want to eat?" I asked him.

"No, I already ate. It was when you're aunt called." I dropped my fork when he said 'aunt'. He quickly realized what was supposed to be going on. "I'm sorry, love."

His chair was suddenly beside me, and there were a pair of eyes staring at me. They were waiting for a response. His eyes were filled with agony. And mine was filled with. . tears. He wiped them away with his fingers, he was sympathizing with me. I didn't speak anymore, I simply stared like an idiot would.

I slumped, or rather jumped, at him. Eager for a hug. He felt what I needed, so he hugged me back. Stroking the back of my hair as tears fell down my cheeks.

"I'm sorry, love. I didn't mean to hurt you." if he could cry at all, he will right now. But I've never seen him cry.

"It's okay. I mean, I—I.."

"Shh. It's okay sweetheart. Let it all out. Don't worry, everything's going to be fine." He pulled me away, holding my shoulders and kissed my cheeks. He wiped away my falling tears with his lips. Then he kissed my forehead. "You have to eat now."

He pushed the plate to me. It looked like my favorite. Omelet with different garden herbs and various meats. I ate the omelet with satisfaction. It was as delicious as it smelled. It was still hot, but I didn't mind. He stared at me in awe.

"What?" I said with a hint of agony.

"I was just figuring you out, Elise. You ate the omelet while it's still hot. You tolerate heat?"

"Yes. I—I suppose so." A tear escaped from my eyes again. I wiped it with my hands. After I was done wiping, he kissed my eyes.

"Elise? Stop crying now. Everything's going to be alright."

"That's another thing. I can't stop." I forced myself to chuckle.

"It's good to see you trying to chuckle while you're in pain. I love you."

"I love you too." I kissed him on the lips and I rested on his chest when I was done eating.

For the rest of the day, we went to places that I couldn't imagine existed. It was unbelievable. He took me to chapels to pray for my mom. We went wall-climbing, cliff-diving, and paintball. It was fun, but I was still in pain of what happened to Mom. There were a few moments wherein I would just breakdown and cry, but he didn't show any signs of impatience.

At the end of day, I felt truly exhausted. It was completely obvious that I was. When we were about to go home, my feet broke down. Robert carried me to the hotel, with those lips in full smile. It was surprising that he never got tired of lugging me around.

"Are you alright, love?"

"Hmm? Oh. Yeah, I'm fine."

"Ha ha." He laughed boisterously.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Don't you notice that you're turning tomato red?"

"What?" Then I hid my face in his chest.

"Don't hide it. It looks pretty on you."

We were laughing at my blush, and then all I saw was black. I heard a very faint voice, it was a man's voice telling me to come back. He was calling me. He was pleading me to come back. I couldn't find the strength to make myself see multicolored scenes again. I was struggling very hard.

"Elise! Come back, love. Please."


	7. Black and Nothing More

I had been seeing black for a very long time now. Every now and then I could sill hear that voice that has been telling me to come back. But I was trying so hard, I couldn't push through.

"Elise. Can you hear me? Please wake up, love."

I have been hearing my angel's voice every minute of my black life. I called him angel because talks to me all the time. Without his voice, I could've seen a colorful and safe place which cannot be escaped from—heaven.

I tried so hard to flash my eyes open. Well, they were already open. I just needed to make them see something very colorful, like my angel's eyes. I wanted to see his eyes badly. I forced them to see, until I saw a faded rainbow. Coming closer and closer until a powerful air struck my eyes.

And then I saw his eyes. My angel's eyes. He looked. . heavenly. I missed my angel's face. His face was full of worry, his eyes most especially.

"Hi." He suddenly put on the crooked smile that I've been wanting to see.

"Hi." We were a few inches apart. I closed the distance and kissed him with all my power. He kissed me back, I could feel it in his lips that he wanted to do it for a long time now.

He placed my hand in his and placed his forehead on mine. He was smiling ever so tender.

"I'm glad you're back. I missed you."

"What?"

"Elise, love, you've been in a coma for 3 weeks now. I was getting worried, because everyday I was already losing hope that you wouldn't wake up." He looked sad again. His eyes full of worry. I lifted my hand but I found tubes connected and holding me down. "Don't.."

"Shh." I was crying again. Was the one who comforted was the one who could cry?

"Why are you crying?"

"I was happy because I saw my angel again." He pressed the call button, just to send in the nurse and some doctors.

"Angel?"

"That was what I called your voice when I was seeing black. You see, all I saw was black. I stayed at one corner, and keeping me alive was your voice. Without your voice, I could've been in a world where you couldn't exist."

"I'm glad I thought of talking to you."

"Did Lilly visit?"

"Yes, she actually thought she was going to lose another one."

"Oh. She left. I heard her talk to me. I didn't recognize at first, but my angel introduced me."

We talked for hours. I couldn't believe that I was gone for 3 weeks. Knocked out, I guess. Robert said that it was because of too much pressure of Mom's death. The doctors reassured me that I would be released tomorrow morning after a few tests are run. It was very sickening that I had to take shots. I hated needles.

I got well easily because Robert was there beside me. Never leaving. I got a few calls from friends and family, all of them asking me if I'm alright. Of course, I said I was fine. I never wanted to be taken care of. All I needed was Rob, and nothing more.

"How are you feeling?" He entered the room, holding a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"I'm great, now that you're here." I smiled.

"Here, these are for you." He handed me the flowers and kissed my forehead.

"Thank you." I said as he placed his forehead on mine.

"Do you want to eat?" Wasn't it completely obvious. I was terribly hungry.

"Yes, please." I chuckled.

His cooking tasted better than hospital food. I never really had a problem with it, but it's just that I was expecting a little more than this. I taught myself to be thankful because I have a living angel by my side. And for sure, I followed my mind. I was completely content with him.

He laid down beside me. He knew that I wanted him beside me, he knows that it would make my bad dreams go away.

"I love you." I whispered into his ear. My head still lifted.

"And I will always love you." Our lips met once more. And he hummed to me until I fell into deep sleep.

**AN: OK OK. I know. It's short. What the hell. But the chapter's title is black. And what we're referring to here is Elise's coma. So, I better stop here. :) **

**Well, I think I could be reaching more than 30 chapters here. With more than 5 pages when placed in MS WORD. HAHA. :)) So anyway, please review.. I LOVE YOU ALL. 3**

**P.S. This is the shortest chapter of all. HAHA. **


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